Anchor
by arysa13
Summary: Archie and Betty through the years being each other's support systems when things get a little tough in their relationships with Veronica and Jug.


"Ronnie, you have to talk her out of it," Archie begs for the third time that day. Veronica slides her deep purple dress on and turns around, waiting for Archie to zip her up. A bridesmaid dress, for all intents and purposes. Archie drags the zip up and Veronica turns around, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Like I said, Archiekins," she says. "If you think it's such a bad idea, then _you_ should talk them out of it."

"Don't you think it's a bad idea?"

Veronica laughs. "Of course I do. But it's their life."

"So as Betty's best friend—" Archie starts, until Veronica cuts him off.

" _You're_ Betty's best friend, remember? And Jughead's," she reminds him. Archie looks pained. Veronica straightens his tie. "You know they won't change their minds now. They've been planning this ever since Betty became the so-called serpent queen," she rolls her eyes.

"But what if they're making a huge mistake?" Archie presses. And he'd try to convince them himself he would, it's just—to talk to Betty out of it would feel like betraying Jughead, and to talk Jughead out of it would feel like betraying Betty. And to try and talk to them together is just a losing battle.

Veronica shrugs. "It's only marriage. And no one knows better than the four of us how well _that_ can last."

Archie still has his doubts. But to Veronica, it's case closed. She puts her heels on and heads for the hotel room door.

"Come on," she says, tilting her head. "The bride and groom are waiting for us."

* * *

At a chapel in Vegas, two weeks after graduation, Betty and Jughead tie the knot, with Veronica and Archie as their witnesses.

Alice had forbidden it, and FP had warned against it. That had only made Betty want to do it more. She's queasy as she walks down the aisle in a dress she bought months ago, not exactly a wedding dress, but it's white. Her serpent tattoo is fresh on her hip.

She gets through the vows, and Jughead through his, and the four of them head to the hotel bar. They're only eighteen, but they get served anyway.

Four drinks in, Betty is on top of the world. Surrounded by her friends, married to the love of her life. She's pretty sure things couldn't get more perfect.

Six drinks in, she's outside, desperate for fresh air, feeling claustrophobic, her white dress too tight. Archie's hand grazes her back.

"Hey," he says softly. Her head spins. "Are you okay?"

Betty nods. "Too much to drink." A light breeze tousles her hair, and she closes her eyes, grateful for the coolness of the wind on her face. Archie stays beside her.

"Perhaps it's time for bed," Archie suggests. "Mrs Jones," he adds. A joke probably, but she doesn't laugh.

"Did I make a mistake?" she whispers, so softly she's sure Archie hasn't heard, especially since he doesn't respond right away.

He takes a deep breath. "Of course not," he finally replies. "You and Jughead were bound to get married eventually. What difference does it make if it's now or in a few years?"

Betty nods. She leans against him, and he wraps his arms around her.

"Let's get you to bed," he says.

The last thing she remembers is him pressing a kiss to her forehead before she drifts off to sleep.

* * *

Moving to New York was always the plan. Archie never thought he'd be leaving Betty and Jughead behind in Riverdale. But Jughead says he needs to get things sorted with the Serpents before he leaves, and Betty, as his wife, is staying to support him. They both swear they'll join him and Veronica in New York next year.

Archie loves living in New York, but the thing is, it's freaking expensive. He manages to get a job waiting tables, but he kind of sucks at it, so the tips aren't great. Veronica, on the other hand, is already a successful business owner, and she's even thinking about turning Pop's into a chain. She's currently studying business while Archie studies music on a scholarship.

It's not exactly how imagined it. He lives in a dorm with a roommate he doesn't particularly like, instead of the nice apartment he pictured sharing with Veronica or Jughead. Veronica refuses to spend any time in his dorm, and he's always travelling back and forth across the city to see her. Her apartment is nothing fancy, but the fact that she can afford to live in it alone is impressive enough.

"We should go travelling in the summer," Veronica says dreamily, playing with Archie's hair as they lay in her bed on a Saturday morning. "Europe, maybe. Or Australia."

"I don't think that's going to be possible, Ronnie," Archie sighs. He'd love to give her everything she wants, honestly. But he doesn't have the money.

Veronica pouts. "Why not? Haven't you always wanted to go to Paris?"

"I'd love to see it with you," Archie says. "But I'll probably be working for my dad over the summer."

"Does he really need you?" Veronica complains.

Archie tries not to sigh again. She just doesn't get it. "I don't know, Ronnie. But I need the money. New York is expensive."

"Oh," Veronica says, understanding finally dawning. "I'll pay for your flights."

Archie groans. He pulls away from the hand twirling in his hair and sits up. "I don't want you to do that."

"Archiekins, come on," Veronica coos, sitting up beside him. "It's just money."

Archie tries not to be frustrated with her, but he can't help it. "Of course it is, to you," he huffs. He throws himself out of bed and gets dressed.

"Don't be such a proud man," Veronica snaps. "Does it really bother you that I make more money than you? That I'm more successful than you?"

Her words sting. "Of course not," Archie says. "I'm proud of everything you've done. But I don't want to have to rely on you to pay for things for me. If you want to go to Europe, that's fine. But I can't afford it."

He thinks he's explained himself well, that she'll understand. But she gives him a pained looks and says, "That's ridiculous, Archie. I'm happy to pay."

Archie shakes his head. "Forget it," he says. "I'll see you later."

Veronica doesn't bother trying to stop him as he leaves.

On the train home, he calls Betty.

"Hey," she says brightly. Archie can feel some of the tension drain out of him at the sound of her voice.

"Hey," Archie replies. "What's up?"

"I'm just doing the dishes, nothing interesting," Betty laughs. "What's up with you?"

"Veronica and I kind of had a fight," he says.

"Oh, what happened?"

"She wants to go to Europe this summer and I told her I can't afford it. She said she'd pay but…" he trails off. Maybe he's being dumb. Maybe Betty will tell him he's being an idiot and he should take a free trip to Europe from his girlfriend.

"Of course she did," Betty snorts. "I love V, but she really has no clue what it's like to not have any money."

"So you don't think I'm being stupid?"

"I completely get it, Archie. I'm the same, I don't want to feel like I owe someone something, even if it's someone I'm in a relationship with. You want to stand on your own two feet. It's perfectly understandable."

Archie breathes a sigh of relief. Someone gets it. Someone gets him. "Thanks, Betty. You always know exactly what to say."

"Anytime, Arch."

* * *

Betty is pretty sure she shouldn't be feeling this anxious right now. Archie is home for the summer and he's coming over in an hour for dinner at the little unit Betty and Jughead have been renting this past year. She can't wait to see him. She's missed him a lot this past year. They spoke on the phone a lot, and he came home a few times, but it's not the same as seeing him every day.

She's been working for her mom all year at the Register, while Jughead works on his novel and leads the Serpents, doing odd jobs for people or writing a story for the Register every now and again for some extra cash. But it's not what she wants to do anymore. She's ready to get out of Riverdale, go to college, see the world. She keeps seeing Veronica's Instagram posts, in a bikini in Greece, or on top of the Eiffel Tower, and she can't help but feel jealous.

She's got a million things she wants to do in her life, and the truth is, now she doesn't know if she'll ever get to do them.

Her hands shake as she opens the little box containing the pregnancy test. The cashier had congratulated her when she bought it. Betty had smiled like she was excited, when in fact she just feels sick. Sitting on the toilet, she reads the instructions, and follows them to the letter. Now all she can do is wait.

Her stomach churns. This could be a good thing, right? It _should_ be a good thing. She's married to the man she loves, possibly pregnant with his baby. This isn't some teen pregnancy like her mom or Polly. This is different.

Except she knows she's not ready. Kids are for after she's finished college, after she's travelled, after she's had a career and a life. Not _now_. Jughead will probably be thrilled. She's beginning to suspect he's not that interested in college anyway, and would rather stay here and lead the Serpents. And a baby would make him so happy.

She watches the test, praying for a negative. Her prayers aren't answered.

She decides not to tell Jughead yet. It can wait until after dinner. She throws the test in the trash and covers it with tissues, then gets to making dinner. She usually cooks, Jughead isn't that great at it. He always says he'll do the washing up, but he rarely gets around to it. There's always some gang issue he has to resolve. Betty had been excited to be part of the Serpents at first, but she's already bored of it, skipping most of their meetings in favour of reading a book on the couch.

The doorbell rings just as Betty is dishing up the chicken. Jughead gets it, and Betty listens as he greets Archie, and then the two of them join her in the kitchen. She turns around, and before she can even say hello, Archie is pulling her into a hug. She laughs, squeezing him tightly back, forgetting for a moment the worries on her mind. But then he pulls away and Betty glances at Jughead and the churning in her gut returns.

"I'm so glad you're home," Betty tells Archie. "Dinner's ready, go sit down and I'll bring it to you."

Archie obeys, grinning, and Jughead follows, leaving Betty to bring the plates out.

If either of the guys notice that Betty isn't quite herself, they don't say anything. Betty is pretty quiet the whole time, letting Jughead and Archie keep the conversation. It's not that she doesn't want to join in, it's just that she can't seem to take her mind off the revelation she'd received in the bathroom earlier.

They discuss Archie's college life, the Serpents, Betty's job, and Veronica being in Europe. Archie swears he isn't jealous, and that he's not worried about Veronica hanging around those hot European guys.

"She can flirt as much as she likes," Archie shrugs. "I know she'd never cheat on me."

It's at that moment Jughead gets a message, and he's already standing up before Betty can ask who it's from.

"Sorry guys, gotta run," he says. "Emergency Serpent business."

"Seriously, Jug?" Betty pleads. "Can't it wait? We have a guest."

"No, one of the new recruits thought it would be a great idea to graffiti one of the Ghoulies' cars, so I have to go and deal with that. Besides, it's just Archie."

"Surely Toni, or Sweet Pea—"

"I'm the Serpent king, Betty," Jughead huffs. "It's my job."

"Fine," Betty mutters. Jughead gives her a kiss on the head before running out the door. Betty looks to Archie, who looks a little embarrassed at having witnessed the argument, pushing his peas around his plate. "Sorry about that," Betty says.

Archie looks up. "You don't have to be sorry," he assures her. Betty watches him gingerly put a pea in his mouth before she snorts with laughter.

"I forgot you hate peas," she says. Archie laughs. "You don't have to eat them. Here." She stands up and takes his plate, stacking it on top of hers and Jughead's, then takes them to the kitchen.

"You want me to wash up?" Archie calls after her.

"It's okay," Betty says. "I'll do it after you go." She puts the plates in the sink. She stands there a moment, trying to gather herself before she goes back out to face Archie. She won't enjoy is company properly if she keeps dwelling on her pregnancy.

She doesn't hear Archie enter the room, but then he's beside her, his hand on her shoulder. "Hey," he says softly. "Is everything okay?"

Betty squeezes her eyes shut, trying to will the tears she can feel forming to retract back into her tear ducts. But then they're spilling out, and she lets out a sob, shaking her head. Why did he have to ask? She could have held it together if he hadn't asked.

He immediately wraps his arms around her, pulling her against him tightly. Her shoulders shake as she cries into his chest, unable to stop now that she's started. He rubs her back, and he lets her cry until she pulls away, wiping her eyes.

"You want to talk about it?" he asks, eyes full of concern.

She isn't planning on telling him, but somehow it just slips out. "I'm pregnant."

He stares at her, not sure what to say. Betty keeps talking so he doesn't have to say anything.

"I haven't told Jughead yet. I just found out before you got here and I—" she sobs again. "I should be happy. But it probably means I won't get to go to college next year, or join you in New York."

Archie pulls her into his arms again. "Hey, hey," he says soothingly. "You have other options. And whatever you choose, I promise I'll be there for you. And maybe you can still go to college."

Betty nods, and somehow, she's comforted, even though she doesn't really believe what he's saying. She could never afford a baby _and_ college. And if she gives the baby up, or gets an abortion, Jughead will hate her forever.

But for now, she lets Archie let her believe everything is going to be okay.

* * *

Archie has had the ring for a while now. He's been carrying it around in his pocket, waiting for the right time.

But he and Veronica are both finished college now, and he has a bit of money saved, despite buying the ring. Veronica now owns a Pop's and speak easy in three locations, and Archie is getting gigs almost every weekend, plus his day job selling furniture.

They're in Riverdale for the weekend, for their goddaughter's fifth birthday. Archie can hardly believe little Matilda Jones is ready for school already. Betty and Jughead throw a little party for her at Alice's house, and afterwards, Archie and Veronica take a walk along Sweetwater River.

And suddenly Archie can't think of a better time or place to do it. In the town they fell in love, where Archie hopes the can raise children and grow old together someday.

"They looked so happy. I'm going to be honest, I didn't think Betty and Jughead would even last this long," Veronica is saying. "I'm happy to be proven wrong—" she cuts herself off when she sees Archie lowering himself to the ground on one knee. "What are you doing?" she asks, eyes wide.

"Ronnie," Archie says, pulling the ring box out of his pocket. "From the moment I saw you, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. We've had our share of ups and downs, but there is no one I'd rather have by my side than you. Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Veronica stares at him. She stares so long, and without a smile, that Archie begins to feel anxious.

"Ronnie?" he prompts, nervous. He swallows.

"Archie…" she starts, her voice soft and sympathetic. Archie's stomach sinks. He stands up, trying not to let his eyes betray the hurt he feels. "I'm sorry," Veronica continues. "I just… I'm not ready to get married yet. I don't want to break up, and I still love you… but _marriage_?" she balks. "I… can't give you that kind of commitment."

Archie nods, clenching his jaw. "I get it," he says, though he's not quite sure he does. But what else can he say? He doesn't want to break up either. But he really wants to get married one day. And what if Veronica never gets there? He doesn't voice his thoughts out loud though.

"I'm really sorry, Archiekins. We should have talked about this, I should have realised you would want to propose soon."

"Ronnie, it's okay. I'm just… I just need a minute."

Veronica nods. "Should we go back to your dad's?"

"Yeah," Archie says. "Yeah."

He goes up to his old room when he gets back, and Veronica stays downstairs with Fred to give Archie some alone time. He shuts the door behind him, and when he looks up, his eyes lock with Betty's through the window. She seems surprised to see him, but she smiles and waves. Archie waves back, but he can't bring himself to return the smile.

Betty reaches for her phone, and moments later Archie gets a text.

 ** _Everything okay?_**

Archie looks up. He shakes his head. Betty turns back to her phone, and then his phone is ringing, Betty's name on the screen. He smiles to himself as he answers.

"What's wrong?" Betty asks immediately.

"It's too embarrassing," Archie sighs.

"You can tell me anything."

"I proposed to Veronica and she said no."

Betty winces. "Ouch."

"I'm such an idiot."

"Don't say that," Betty scolds. "She's the idiot if she doesn't want to marry you. Any girl would be lucky to have you as a husband." Archie snorts. "I'm being serious!"

"So you'd marry me if you didn't already have a husband?"

"You know I would." Betty chews her lip. "She'll change her mind."

Archie nods. He hopes Betty is right.

"Love you," she says.

"Love you too, Betty."

* * *

Betty is pregnant again. This time, it's planned. Eight months ago, it had seemed like a great idea. Matilda wanted a sibling, Betty and Jughead were both ready for another child. Jughead had just finished his novel and was sending it off to publishers. The Serpents had been drama free for a year.

But Jughead had received nothing but a string of rejection letters. It hit him hard. And at first, he was just having a drink or two to let off some steam. But now…

Well, it's 2am and Betty hasn't seen him in hours. And she knows there wasn't a Serpent meeting because Cheryl has been posting pictures of her date night with Toni on her Instagram story. Betty hasn't been a part of the Serpents since she gave birth to Matilda.

Betty can't help but worry. He's been drinking more and more, and it's getting harder and harder to hide from Matilda. She was asking for her dad when Betty tucked her in earlier, and it made Betty's heart ache.

There's a crash at the front door, and Betty sits bolt upright in bed. The front door slams, and she can hear Jughead banging around, making no effort to be quiet. She winces when he kicks open the bedroom door and flicks the light on.

"Would you be quiet?" Betty hisses. "Your daughter is asleep."

"I'm going to wake her up," Jughead says, turning around.

"Don't you dare!" Betty snaps. "I don't want her to see you like this."

Jughead stops in the doorway, turning just his head to look at Betty. He's wearing a cold sneer on his face. "Like what?"

"You know what."

"Like what, Betty!" he growls.

Betty flinches. She hates him like this. He never gets violet, but he gets mean. "Drunk," she snaps. "You're awful when you're drunk."

"Oh, I'm awful, am I? Well excuse me for trying to have a good time now and again."

"Now and again?" Betty repeats, incredulous. "You've been out late drinking every night for the past two weeks! Do I need to remind you that you have a daughter and a pregnant wife at home waiting for you?"

Even in his drunken state, Jughead has the decency to look sheepish at that.

"You have to stop, Jug," Betty pleads. "Don't become the father you hated when you were growing up."

Those words seem to trigger something inside him. He softens, walks towards her with apologetic eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, kneeling on the ground beside the bed. He puts his hand on Betty's swollen stomach. "I'll quit, I promise." He kisses Betty's stomach. Then he stands up and crawls into bed beside her, not even bothering to undress. Within minutes, he's snoring beside her.

She picks up her phone and continues her conversation with Archie.

 ** _He's home. Thanks for keeping me sane. Xx_**

* * *

Archie wants to think he's crazy, paranoid. But he's been suspecting something for a while now, and every time Veronica tells him she's working late, or she's out with friends, he can't shake the feeling that she's lying to him. That there's someone else.

He hasn't said anything, because he keeps convincing himself he's wrong. It's just his imagination. He doesn't want her to think he doesn't trust her. And even if it's true… well, he's not sure he's ready to face that yet.

But she's not here again, and he's lonely, he's been lonely for months, so he picks up the phone and calls Betty. He doesn't want to say it out loud, but he can't bear the thoughts inside his own head anymore. And Betty will talk him down, reassure him that everything is fine. Veronica can't possibly be cheating on him.

"What's up, Arch?" she answers.

He hesitates. He doesn't want to burden her with his problems if she's having problems of her own.

"How's—how's Jughead?"

"He's good," Betty says. "It's been two months since his last relapse, and he started writing again. Something new."

"That's great, Betty. And the girls?"

"They're great too," Betty says. Her voice always grows fonder when she talks about her daughters. She loves them so much.

"I'm glad."

"Arch?" Betty says, and she sounds a little concerned now. "Is everything okay?"

Archie shakes his head, though Betty can't see him. "I think—I think Veronica might be cheating on me."

Betty doesn't say anything.

"I'm just being crazy, right?" Archie asks.

"I don't know, Arch," Betty whispers. Not what Archie was expecting. "I mean, if you feel like something's wrong… maybe something is wrong. Even if the thing that's wrong isn't that she's cheating. But you should talk to her about it."

"You think?"

"Yeah, I mean… don't like, accuse her of cheating. But let her know you're unhappy. That you feel like something is off."

Archie swallows. "I really thought you'd tell me I was being paranoid."

"Trust your instincts, Arch. They're usually pretty good. And you know I'm always on your side, right?"

"I know."

The talk ends in a fight. And the fight ends in Veronica admitting it. She's cheating on him. And even though Archie has suspected it for months now, the truth kills him.

He feels like a complete fool. He should have ended it when she said she didn't want to marry him.

Veronica apologises over and over, tears in her eyes.

"I never meant for it to happen. I never meant to hurt you," she tells him.

"But you did anyway," Archie says bitterly.

She doesn't stop him when he leaves.

* * *

Betty loves having Archie back in Riverdale, though she hates the circumstances that brought him back. He seems sad about Veronica, but he also seems happier in some ways too. She knows he always saw himself coming back here someday.

She sees him a lot now, and he loves looking after Matilda and Alison so that she can have a bit of a break from her ten-year-old and her five-year-old. She loves them to bits, but to say they're a handful is an understatement.

The four of them, Betty, Archie, Matilda, and Alison, are on their way back from a trip to the movies. Jughead had been supposed to come, but last-minute Serpent issues had arisen. Betty has long since stopped caring about anything Serpent related.

They'd had to drive a couple hours, to the closest cinema they have these days. It's way past the girls' bed time, and they've both fallen asleep in the back seat. Betty and Archie talk quietly in the front, so as not to wake them.

When Archie drops them back at Betty and Jughead's, Jughead still isn't home. Betty's stomach sinks. She tries not to think the worst. She carries Alison to bed, while Archie carries Matilda.

"Thanks, Arch," Betty whispers.

"I'll see you… tomorrow, probably," Archie laughs. He glances to the door. "Do you want me to stay until Jughead gets home?"

Betty hesitates. She shakes her head, even though she does want him to stay a little bit. But if Jughead has fallen off the wagon again, it's probably best if she deals with it alone. Archie nods, and Betty gives him a goodbye hug. It's at that moment that Jughead chooses to make an appearance.

The front door swings open, and Betty can already smell that he's been drinking. She tenses, and Archie is stiff beside her.

"What are you doing here?" Jughead slurs, glaring at Archie.

"Just dropping your wife home."

"You've been spending an awful lot of time with my wife lately."

"Jughead, stop it," Betty snaps. "Go and take a shower. Don't wake the girls."

"Fuck off, Betty," Jughead snarls. "Don't tell me what to do."

Betty flinches, and she can feel Archie get his hackles up.

"And you can fuck off too, Archie," Jughead adds.

"I'm not leaving her with you like this."

"Get out of my house, Archie!" Jughead yells. He goes to shove Archie, but Archie doesn't back down, and Jughead stumbles back.

"Betty," Archie says. "You and the girls should stay with me tonight."

"That might be best," Betty agrees. She goes to move towards the girls' bedroom, and Jughead grabs her by the arm, squeezing tightly, pressing bruises into her upper arm.

"No," he says.

"Jug," she says. "Let me go. You're hurting me."

"Let her go, Jughead."

Jughead glares at Archie. He takes a swing, stumbling over his own feet, hitting Archie, and elbowing Betty in the face in the process.

"Fuck!" he yells, shaking out his hand. Betty clutches her face. "Betty," Jughead says. "I didn't mean to hit you. I'm sorry." He sounds weak and pathetic now. Tears form in his eyes, and Betty can feel herself crying as well. She stares at him in shock. He hadn't meant to hit her, she knows that. But she can't trust that we won't accidentally do something worse one day. Like hit one of the girls.

She knows this is it. With one glance at Archie, he knows it too.

"Are you okay?" Archie asks. Betty nods. "Get the girls." Betty nods again, hurrying to the bedroom. She wakes them quickly, and they follow her sleepily out of the house and to Archie's car.

"Betty, wait!" Jughead calls after them. "I'm sorry. I swear it won't happen again."

Archie slides into the driver's seat.

"Betty—"

"Just drive, Archie," she says, swallowing her tears.

* * *

She's awake early, in her old bedroom at her mom's house. Archie had dropped her off last night, and she'd cried into her mom's arms until three in the morning.

She gets up, glancing out the window to see that Archie is awake too. She gestures for him to meet her outside.

They stroll along the street, no destination in mind.

"Are you going to go back to him?" Archie asks.

Betty shakes her head. "I've tried too many times, Arch. If he can sober up, I'll let him see the girls. But he and I are done."

"I'm sorry."

Betty shrugs. "I think it's been coming for a long time."

"Did you ever think this is where we'd be at thirty? Back in Riverdale, living with our parents?" Archie snorts.

"God," Betty laughs. "Not at all. I guess life doesn't always work out like you planned."

"It's not all bad though," Archie muses. "At least I've still got my best friend."

Betty smiles. "Yeah. Thank you, Arch."

"What for?"

"Being my anchor. No matter what I've been through, you're always there to ground me."

Archie grins. "Back at you."

He slips his hand into hers and gives it a squeeze.

"Pop's?" Betty suggests.

"I thought you'd never ask."


End file.
